Brooklyn Indie Market » Markets of New York

Book Launch Events – Posman Books and Brooklyn Indie Market

Tuesday, May 11 – Official Publication Day!

Markets of New York City goes on sale online and in bookstores today!

Thursday, May 20 – Publication Party! You’re Invited!

Book signing and reception from 6 pm – 8 pm (Bonus – Meet my mom, Haydee, to whom the book is dedicated.)
Posman Books at Chelsea Market
9th Avenue at 15th Street, Manhattan (A, C, E, 2, & 3 Trains to 14th Street)

Refreshments will be provided by Chelsea Market shops, including Manhattan Fruit Exchange, Chelsea Wine Vault, Buon Italia, and Amy’s Bread.
Five artisans representing several of the markets featured in the guidebook will be selling their handmade items as well:

Shaya NYC: Fine Handcrafted Jewelry
Miss Wit Industrial Light and Tragic: Tee Shirt Designs
Off the Mat: Soaps, Scents, and Accessories Inspired by Yoga
Rocks and Salt: Handmade Hats an Accessories
Take Me Homeware: Unique Handmade Ceramics

Saturday, May 22 – Markets of New York City Celebrates Handmade Brooklyn!

Meet many of the vendors featured in the guidebook at this full-day event especially for Brooklyn! Book signing from 11 am – 5 pm
Brooklyn Indie Market, Details on Yelp.com
Smith Street & Union Street, Brooklyn (F & G Trains to Carrol Street)

I wanted to do something to honor a colleague who died in the earthquake in Haiti, Gerardo Le Chevalier. So, with permission of his family, we will be collecting donations for Doctors Without Borders at “Celebrate Handmade Brooklyn” in Gerardo’s memory for their ongoing work in helping Haiti recover from the disastrous effects of the earthquake earlier this year.

There’s a New Jerk In Town: New Jerk City

I started seeing the buzz about New Jerk City a few weeks ago on Facebook. And then we tried their Queens and Brooklyn flavors from the Brooklyn Indie Market at my birthday party. The savory bits disappeared almost faster than I could snap a photo of them. I wanted to know more about jerky maker Gordon Lingley, who, in my humble opinion, deserves an award just for coming up with such a great name for his handmade, artisanal beef jerky.

Markets of New York: How did you become a jerky maker?

Gordon Lingley: I became a jerky maker primarily out of my own selfish needs. A few years ago I set out looking for some decent jerky in this city and the only thing close were the few jerky makers in Chinatown. But what I found was a far cry from the jerky I was used to as a kid, and a far cry from what I was looking for. It was then and there that I started attempting to make my own versions at home. Ultimately I did come to find a few more jerky makers. Obviously there are many others who felt a jerky void, yet none of these jerky makers produced what I was looking for. The only solution: to make it myself.

MNY: What is the story behind your perfect brand name? How did it occur to you?

GL: My perfect brand name? (Thank you, by the way.) It’s just one of those things that occurred to me in a flash of brilliance. It also lends itself to my brand strategy of having a flavor for each borough. Admittedly, New York City is the only place that brand name really works. But it works perfectly. Whenever I tell people the name, it always elicits a smile.

MNY: Whenever I mention the name, people say, “No way – that’s hilarious! I want a tee-shirt.” What are your plans for new flavors, and will you make other kinds of jerky?

GL: Right now I’m working on perfecting the Queens flavor, which will most likely be a curry flavor, as well as the Brooklyn flavor, which will most likely be a beer-infused flavor. Manhattan is difficult because there’s a little bit of everything, like Queens, but I initially thought I might make it out of a nicer cut of beef, like tenderloin, and marinate it in something fancy, like balsamic vinegar or truffle oil, but that’s still undecided. As for the Bronx, I’ll most likely do something Italian, in honor of the shops on Arthur Ave. The real question mark is Staten Island. I have to take a few field trips out there to get a feel for the flavor of the borough. I’m also taking suggestions.

MNY: What is your favorite thing to drink with jerky?

GL: I’d have to say beer. No specific beer in mind, but I feel like the two compliment each other well.

MNY: Where can we buy New Jerk City products?

GL: Currently the only place New Jerk City has been available is at the Brooklyn Indie Market, but I’ll also be at on Friday and First Friday at The Loom, and Crafts in Chelsea with the NewNew on Saturday. That’s bound to change in the near future. I’ve already been approached by a deli in Bushwick interested in carrying my products, but I need to finalize packaging, pricing, and permits before that happens. I hope to have it available in a number of bars and grocery stores throughout Brooklyn, eventually expanding into the other boroughs. And eventually, online sales.

Meet Gordon and New Jerk City:

Friday, May 7: First Friday at The Loom (with the fabulous Better Than Jam Co-Op)
Saturday, May 8: Crafts in Chelsea with the NewNew
Most weekends at the Brooklyn Indie Market.

Announcing The Book Launch Events!!!

Markets of New York City (Little Bookroom, 2010)

I am so excited for the launch of Markets of New York City: A Guide to the Best Artisan, Farmer, Food and Flea Markets (Little Bookroom, 2010), I can barely stand it! It has been such an incredibly rewarding experience to explore, shop, eat, and get to know the wonderful, dedicated, and talented entrepreneurs at the amazing markets throughout the boroughs. Please come out, have some fun, and show your support for these fantastic institutions that give so much character to our fair city!

Weekend of May 1 & 2 – Pre-Publication Launch at Brooklyn Lyceum’s Spring Food & Craft Market

Get an advance copy of the guidebook! Many of the vendors featured in the book are offering generous deals and discounts with your book purchase! Book signing from 11 am – 4 pm on Saturday & Sunday
Brooklyn Lyceum, 227 4th Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn (R Train to Union Street)

Many of the wonderful vendors featured in the guidebook and blog are also going to be at the Lyceum, and they are offering awesome special discounts with your book purchase:

•Alison Tauber: $5 off one shirt

•Bacon Marmalade: Discount on Jars or Baked Goods

•Fine and Raw Chocolates: Chunky Bonbon 2 for $10 (regular price $7 each)

•Lovely Day Designs: 20% on total purchase

•McFlashpants : 10% discount on total purchase

•Meow Meow Tweet: $1.00 off total purchase

•Miss Wit Tees for Good Times: 15% on total purchase

•Nordea Soaperie: Free 1.5 oz Body Polish with $45 total purchase

•Off the Mat: 20% discount on total purchase

•Pumpkin and Honey Bunny/P&H Soda and Syrup Inc.: $.50 off purchase of sodas and greeting cards

•Rocks and Salt Design: 10% discount on hats

•Sour Puss Pickles: $1.50 off a jar of Green Tomato Relish

•Take Me Homeware: 20% discount on total purchase

•Virginia Kraljevic Illustrations and Cards: 20% discount on total purchase

•Yona’s Gourmet Delights: $1.00 off your purchase of any two combos

Thursday, May 20 – Publication Party! You’re Invited!

Book signing and reception from 6 pm – 8 pm (Bonus – Meet my mom, Haydee, to whom the book is dedicated.)
Refreshments will be provided by Chelsea Market shops, including Manhattan Fruit Exchange, Chelsea Wine Vault, Buon Italia, Amy’s Bread, and more!
Posmans Books at Chelsea Market
75 9th Avenue at 15th Street, Manhattan (A, C, E, 2, & 3 Trains to 14th Street)

Saturday, May 22 – Markets of New York City Celebrates Handmade Brooklyn!

Meet many of the vendors featured in the guidebook at this full-day event especially for Brooklyn! Book signing from 11 am – 5 pm
Brooklyn Indie Market, Details on Yelp.com
Smith Street & Union Street, Brooklyn (F & G Trains to Carrol Street)

[On a sober note, I wanted to do something to honor a colleague who died in the earthquake in Haiti, Gerardo Le Chevalier. So, with permission of his family, we will be collecting donations for Doctors Without Borders at "Celebrate Handmade Brooklyn" in Gerardo's memory for their ongoing work in helping Haiti recover from the disastrous effects of the earthquake earlier this year.]

I’m only going to have one first book launch in my life, so please come out and help me make the most of it!

Photo of the Day – April 10, 2010: IMHandmade Brooklyn

angel-necklace-with-rose-pendant-from-im-handmade-of-brooklyn_0

This beautiful angel pendant from IMHandmade of Brooklyn is made from a casting of a vintage piece. This designer creates a diverse collection of handmade jewelry, clothing, home wares, and vintage items. The theme that binds them all together is an passion for handmade craftsmanship and style. Another piece of hers that I love is her handmade fabric rose necklace. I’ll show you that one next time. You can find this designer at the Brooklyn Indie Market, the Atlantic Antic in the early fall, and in several shops in Brooklyn (details are on her Etsy Shop Homepage).

Photo of the Day – April 9, 2010: Elements for Inspired Living

Colorful Throw Pillow by Elements for Inspired Living at the Brooklyn Indie Market

This fabulous throw pillow from Elements for Inspired Living makes me want to redecorate my entire apartment! This Hell’s Kitchen-based designer uses new and vintage fabrics for her home decor pieces, and she expertly applies applique techniques to give them even more character (see the appliqued circles on this fruit-covered pillow). You can find the hand-made pillows, handbags, clothing and more from this designer at the Brooklyn Indie Market and on her Etsy shop. She will also be participating in the upcoming Hester Street Fair!

Handmade Limited Edition Hats from Rocks and Salt

Vendor of the Week for The Brooklyn Lyceum Spring Food and Crafts Market and the Handmade Cavalcade!

Rocks and Salt makes cool hats. It’s almost as simple as that. But not quite. These hip, limited edition hats are carefully designed for each season, and each one is painstakingly made by hand, using high quality, unusual fabrics. They achieve that extremely elusive balance of retro, current, and trendsetting all at the same time.

There are hats for men and women in the Rocks and Salt collections, and many of them suit both. This year’s Spring/Summer line includes five different styles. The cycling cap is a jaunty addition to any outfit, especially with the printed bicycle gear on the side. This season’s Henley is a stylized bucket hat with a selection of different printed images to choose from, including a computer circuit board and a brick wall. Like all the other styles, the Henley comes in a variety of fabrics, including purple, which I admit is my favorite color. The spring and summer styles are lighter and hand-washable, whereas the winter styles are made of wools and tweeds and other warm fabrics.

In addition to their signature hats, Rocks and Salt designers and proprietors Phil and Sara also create jewelry, clothing, and a fanny pack that comes in a variety of colors and is actually cool. The knee-length skirts have a big pocket and a handkerchief hemline that is young and flattering. Using a variety of chains, silver, leather, stones, and other elements, their jewelry designs range from light, colorful dangle earrings to leather cuffs. The unifying thread is the impeccable design and craftsmanship.

When you put them all together, as in the center photo above, you have the Rocks and Salt look. Edgy, sexy, put-together – and fun!

Rocks and Salt celebrates its fifth year this April, and, as Phil says, “We’re going full steam ahead with lots of great stuff!”

You can meet Phil, Sara and their hats at the Handmade Cavalcade on April 24^th and at the Brooklyn Lyceum’s Spring Food and Craft Market. They also sell their products regularly at the Brooklyn Indie Market.

Inspired By Yoga Part 1: Off The Mat Soaps, Scents and Sprays

The beautiful and peaceful smells coming from a table at the Brooklyn Indie Market last fall floated up into my subconscious and made me stop walking. But it was the incredible enthusiasm and huge smile of the artisan Iosellev Castañeda, or Josie, as she’s known in the markets, that made me stay, chat, and learn.

Everything that Josie makes is based on the principles of yoga. She is a certified yoga instructor, but she found that talking with people one on one in the markets is much more to her liking than being in front of a class. Off the Mat is her brand of yoga-inspired soaps, perfumes, candles and accessories. She makes all of her products by hand, combining her passion for the teachings of a yoga lifestyle with her professional experience as a fashion designer.

Her products are all very carefully conceived and made with the highest quality ingredients, mostly vegan, that make them such a pleasure to use. I have become one of her customers who does not practice yoga, but I’m learning more about it every time I see her. If you do happen to know a thing or two about yoga, you have found a passionate kindred spirit in Josie. She is happy for her products to start conversations about yoga, or healthy lifestyles, or frankly anything that makes anyone happy.

I first tried her fragrant soaps based on the seven Chakras. Packaged in rainbow colors, the Chakra Collection soaps filled up my shower with earthy botanical scents. My favorite one is the red one, or Muladhara, which represents foundation, stability, or root support. I have no idea what that means about me, but I really loved the soaps!

Off the Mat’s Black Label line also includes soaps, perfumed oils and sprays, and soy candles. These products are based on the spices, scents and cultures of India and Mexico, and they contain Indian “attars,” or flower- and spice-based fragrances distilled in water using low heat and pressure. The “Elixir of the Gods” scent is a chocolate perfume made from cocoa beans. When I wear it, I actually get the same happy feeling that I get when I eat chocolate, only all day long and guilt-free. “White Amber” is clean and spicy, while “Patchouli” is deep and sensuous.

The newest set of products is the Red Label, based on the concept of “kama,” or pleasure (think “Kama Sutra”). These soaps, oils, sprays, and candles come in four scents: Kama (bright florals), Yuj (warm florals and honey), Agni (warm, spicy, clove), and Maha (fruity floral, fig). Each one not only smells divine, but comes infused with 14K gold shimmer. All of the products from Off the Mat have wonderful packaging, but the Red Line is particularly special, with designs by artist Mayya Cherepova.

Always innovating, Josie also makes jewelry and handbags from upcycled yoga mats. She uses unsold (and unused) stock for her accessories. But if you have a favorite yoga mat that’s seen better days, she’ll custom make it into a great pair of earrings and a shoulder bag for you. She also has two other product lines, the White Label and Botanical Collection that also both smell great.

You can check the website for locations to meet Josie and purchase her wonderful products. She will have a boutique at the Brooklyn Collective from March through May, and she will also be at the Brooklyn Lyceum’s Spring Food and Craft Market. When the warmer weather arrives, you will find her back at the Brooklyn Indie Market.

Namaste!

Better Than Jam Co-Op: Entrepreneurs Thriving in the Markets and Beyond

The markets of New York not only offer shoppers the rare opportunity to meet the people who make the things that we love; they also provide a place for creative people to meet, become friends, and start getting really big ideas. The Better Than Jam Co-Op in Bushwick, Brooklyn is one such idea. It is an exciting example of the entrepreneurial and creative spirit that takes root in the markets and grows into an innovative enterprise.

Printmaker and clothing designer Karin Persan opened the co-op just a few weeks ago, and she carries the designs from many of the talented artisans and designers who sell their products at markets such as the Brooklyn Indie Market, the Makers Market, the Brooklyn Flea, and others. The design quality and craftsmanship is outstanding, and Persan also aims to keep prices affordable. This shop is open 7 days a week, so if you can’t make it to your favorite market on the weekend, you can always stop by and do some shopping at the co-op on weekdays.

The current designers include Persan’s brand, Better Than Jam, as well as Joann Berman’s seriously fun and funky high-fashion pieces inspired by “green, hip-hop, skateboard culture, graffiti, Bushwick.” At the other end of the spectrum are the dainty and feminine handmade dresses of Melissa Bell NYC. KimmChi’s silk-screened apparel and the handmade clothing from the Soft Movement are stylish and comfortable.

Designs by Himane are about as environmentally conscious as any I’ve seen. The one-of-a-kind clothing is made from “hand-picked, locally-sourced, recycled clothing, donated fabrics, and broken umbrellas.” I actually recognized the fabric on one of their clever bag designs from an umbrella decorated with photo images of blue glass beads that I gave my sister Andrea. What, I ask you, are the odds of that?

There are also several wonderful jewelry designers, some of whom are featured in my upcoming guidebook. Caja Jewelry makes clean and clever hand-cut jewelry designs, including name plates ála Sex in the City, puzzle pieces, kitties, florals, or lungs. Knitknit Knits has whimsical felted and knit necklaces, earrings, and brooches. My mother loved the necklace from Andy’s House of Design that I got her for her 29^th (ahem) birthday.

The BTJ Co-op is in the up and coming Loom Building shops. The Loom is just getting going, with BTJ, a welcoming knitting cafe, an antiques shop, and some art galleries, with more to come.

Better Than Jam Co-op: 1095 Flushing Ave. (corner of Porter Ave.), a few short blocks from the Morgan St. stop on the L Train. Open every day from 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM.

Photo of the Day: February 26, 2010

Felted cameo necklaces by the ridiculously talented Nguyen Le of Knitknit Knits of the Makers Market at the Old American Can Factory, the Brooklyn Indie Market, and more. She’s giving a workshop on how to do needle felting at the Better Than Jam Designers Co-Op on Saturday, 2/27 from 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM.

Looks Like a Colorful Spring is Headed our Way!

I wanted to let you know about a few of the wonderful things I found at last weekend’s Brooklyn Indie Market and NewNew Spring Fling. If this event is any indication, and I believe it is, it looks like we’re in for a lot of warm colors and flattering clothing designs for the spring and summer.

Wabisabi Brooklyn was there with colorful, creative, and infinitely wearable decoupage jewelry designs, including some really great cufflinks. The surprise inside is that designer Maryanne Loverme uses pennies and other coins as the tiny canvases for her earrings, cufflinks, and other charms. Her jewelry looks great all year round, but the colorful images on copper backgrounds and chains will look especially warm and vibrant on tanned skin. Wabisabi is not just a fun name; it is actually a Japanese aesthetic concept meaning “beauty through imperfection.”

Fofolle Handmade Apparel was at the market too. Designer Kathy Malone makes fun and flattering skirts that also double as ponchos. As a skirt, they hug your curves, and as a poncho, they are a warm alternative to sweaters and hang with a nice cowl neckline. She uses rich wools for winter designs and lighter fabrics for spring and summer. She also “reinvents” boxy vintage jackets, turning them into tailored, be-ribboned, feminine lovelies. Fofolle means “whacky girl” in French, and I guess it’s whacky to have one garment that is a skirt and a poncho. But I tend to think of it more as “brilliant.”

Another extremely creative designer, Karin Persan of Better Than Jam, creates a line of handmade clothing and accessories made from hand-printed fabrics. Using classic forms, like T-shirt dresses and wrap skirts, Karin’s fabrics and details make her pieces truly unique. And very colorful! She recently opened the Better Than Jam Handmade Co-Op in Bushwick, featuring her own designs and those of other designers. I haven’t been there yet, but I’ve heard it is a great shop. I’m planning to visit soon, and I’ll report back!

I must also tell you about the great organization that hosted this event, Starting Artists, a non-profit organization that provides after school classes in media and business to “prepare and inspire teenagers to create arts-based enterprises.” I will be writing more about this organization at a later date, but suffice it to say that they are providing a wonderful service to the community and to the art world by giving teenagers a place to develop their creativity. They had jewelry and totebags designed by their members, as well as very clever “inspiration kits,” filled with colorful bits and bobs and sparkly things to get your creative juices flowing.

There were many more wonderful designers at this event. Check back for more about them in upcoming posts!